Cincinnati police said the kidnapping happened Saturday morning when taxi cab driver Mulugeta Shiferaw, 30, picked up a fare downtown. Investigators said the suspect, Charles Black, 30, of Price Hill, robbed the cabbie, assaulted him and stuffed him in the trunk of his cab.

A description of the cab was broadcast on emergency communications, but the vehicle was not found until around 7 p.m. when it was spotted in a Walnut Hills neighborhood.

The victim’s co-workers said Shiferaw got the feeling something was wrong when he picked up Black and called his co-workers.

“He gives the guy’s phone number, you know, the guy who called the taxi. (He told us,) ‘In case something happened to me, this is the number that you can give to the police,’ so he sensed that something is definitely going on,” said Ayana Basha, owner of West Side cab.

Shiferaw’s co-workers said Black asked the victim to wait in Avondale while someone else brought the fare.

“I told him, ‘Just wait five minutes.’ After five minutes, I called him again, he’s still waiting. I said, ‘Leave that place,” said taxi cab driver Nemomsa Kitila.

Police started to chase the cab through several neighborhoods in Cincinnati and into Springfield Township. The pursuit ended in Elmwood Place when the suspect bailed out of the taxi cab.

“We found the victim cab driver in the trunk of the car. He was unconscious. He appeared to be in serious condition and he was transported to the hospital for treatment,” said Lt. Col. James Whalen, of the Cincinnati Police Department.

The suspect was captured after he tried to jump into Mill Creek. Black was taken to University Hospital with unspecified injuries.

The kidnapped cabbie was also transported to the hospital.

“Since he stayed in the trunk all day (and) the guy’s speeding and bouncy, he hit his head. (There’s) kind of a little swelling. He’s alright. That’s all that matters,” said Basha.

Police said Black, who was released from prison last week, is facing kidnapping and robbery charges. Bond was set Monday at $1.5 million.

Charlie Morton pitched five-hit ball for seven innings, Neil Walker hit a review-aided home run and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-0 Sunday in a testy game in which benches cleared after stars Andrew Mcutchen and Brandon Phillips were hit by pitches.